Affiliation, Community Size, and Destination in Return of Lost Letters

Abstract

Two field studies used 2400 “lost letters” to test the hypothesis that return rates would be greater from smaller rural communities (population Ms = 1729) than from a city (population M = 60,591), unless the addressee was affiliated with a socially or politically deviant group. Addresses' affiliations were significantly associated with different rates of return in both studies. In Study A, community size and addressees' affiliations were significantly associated with different rates of return in the city and smaller rural communities, rates generally being greater in the city even when the people in need of help were affiliated with the deviant “For Prostitution, or Female and Male Sex Workers.” Destinations were not associated with return rates in either study. In Study B, community size and addressees' affiliation were significantly associated with different rates of return in only smaller rural communities. Return rates were lower than those from the city except when the person was affiliated with the deviant “NORML or Legalized Prostitution” addressees.